On a current expedition in Gujarat, India, photographer Hardik Shelat captured a uncommon phenomenon alongside a river in sweltering warmth. With temperatures topping 110 levels Fahrenheit, he and his colleagues weren’t the one ones staying hydrated to attempt to hold cool.
“It was a summer afternoon, and we were on a day trip to click these amazing creatures, the fruit bat,” Shelat just lately advised PetaPixel. “We waited almost two-and-a-half hours with nothing to see in the intense heat.” Finally, the wait proved worthwhile, because the usually nocturnal creatures emerged from the timber to chill themselves and drink some water.
The Indian flying fox, or large fruit bat, will get its identify from its lengthy, canid-like snout and unimaginable measurement, with a wingspan of almost 4 ft. Gathering in timber, the place they dwell in massive colonies, the animals nourish themselves with fruits, nectar, seeds, and bugs, utilizing sight and odor to search out meals reasonably than echolocation like many different bat species.
Discover extra unimaginable wildlife photos by Shelat, who has labored with the BBC, Nationwide Geographic, WWF, Discovery, and extra, on Instagram.

